Volcanic gas data collection during Kīlauea summit eruption

A photo of an FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectrometer) instrument that a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist uses to measure the chemical composition of volcanic gas during the start of eruptive episode 53 at the summit of Kīlauea. The ongoing episodic summit eruption, within Halema‘uma‘u, began on December 23, 2024. USGS photo taken by M. Cappos on August 12, 2026, around 3:45 p.m. HST.